Deadline: 07-Mar-23
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support Religious Freedom in Mongolia.
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) goal is to support equitable implementation of existing laws on religious registration, ensuring that laws and regulations relating to religion are in line with international laws and norms regarding freedom of religion or belief.
Religious freedom” refers to the rights set out in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including the freedom to adopt a religion or beliefs, change your beliefs, practice and teach your beliefs (which may include through publications, public and private speech, and the display of religious attire or symbols), gather in community with others to worship and observe your beliefs, and teach your beliefs to your children. It also states that no one shall be subject to coercion which would impair one’s freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of one’s choice.
Funding Information
- Total Funding: $500,000;
- Period of Performance: 18-24 months;
- Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 7 months.
Eligible Activities
- Creating joint advocacy initiatives, online or offline, among civil society and religious communities focusing on the need for equitable treatment of religious groups, in particular regarding the implementation of regulations. Activities should involve concrete actions and community-engagement that support the outcomes identified, rather than be solely deliberative relationship-building meetings and gatherings;
- Trainings for officials that deepen knowledge of international norms and laws on religious freedom;
- projects should aim to have impact that leads to reforms and should have the potential for sustainability beyond DRL resources;
- DRL is committed to advancing equity and support for underserved and underrepresented communities;
- DRL requires all programs to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to include strategies for nondiscrimination of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or veteran’s status.
Outcomes
Expected project outcomes may include, but are not limited to:
- Civil society organizations conduct compelling advocacy campaigns aimed at decision makers focused on fair, transparent, and equitable treatment of religious groups and their members, with particular focus on regulations for religious community activities;
- Government officials take actions to promote human rights, mutual respect, and inclusion for all, regardless of one’s religion, beliefs or non-belief. This includes creating fair and equitable regulations for permitting religious community activities;
- Government and societal actors are responsive to advocacy to protect freedom of religions, beliefs, or non-belief.
Eligibility Criteria
- DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses. DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited;
- Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and Contract Cost Principles and Procedures;
- Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System in the System of Award Management and/or has a current debt to the U.S. government is not eligible to apply.
For more information, visit U.S. Department of State.